By the Way

The Chaitanya Movement (By Mr M. T. Kennedy, 1925)

The book has the merit of being written with the same clear purpose as another popular work ‘Indian Theism’ from the pen of Dr. Macnicol, the object of both writers being a comparative treatment of the subject of ‘Theism’ from the point of view of their respective conceptions of the teachings of Christ. It is the settled conviction of both writers that Christian Theism, as understood by each of them, is the logical goal of all genuine Theistic thought to be found in every part of the world.

This is, no doubt, theoretically speaking the right attitude to adopt towards the problem of religion, provided one is really convinced of the Absolute Truth of one’s own position. The term Christianity itself does not mean, at least historically, that all sections of the professed followers of Christ agree about the fundamentals of the creed they profess in common. If the standard itself is a variable one, which the writers do no apparently suspect to be the case, it is necessarily difficult for the reviewer to hold the writer to his position.

The most fundamental position taken up by the writer of the ‘Chaitanya Movement’ is that the ethical teaching of Christ is safely ‘grounded in His Divinity’. If Godhead is to be recognised at all He has been supposed to be provable of being the consistent upholder of the moral order. By this test it is held that the title of Christ to be called Divinity is absolutely and conclusively established.

It is necessary to put the matter in another way to enable the reader to avoid any possible misunderstanding. The Pastimes of Shree Krishna at Brindaban appears to the writer to be fundamentally defective on account of the undue stress that is laid upon the erotic element which is sought to be established as the only form of activity that is both wholesome as well as self-sufficient. The writer is unable to understand how such an ideal of the Divine function can be a basis for the ordinary moral life that should be led by the people of this world. The form of the amorous Pastimes of Brindaban is also free from all those restraints that are imposed upon the exercise of the sexual relationship by the current moral codes of the world. The acceptance of such a standard is calculated to involve the risk of undermining the moral sanction behind the chaste life of male and female on which the well-being of society is so universally held to depend.

Let us quote Mr Kennedy’s own language. “In conclusion it must be said, that Radha-Krishnaism presents bhakti with objects and a symbolism of worship which are ethically unworthy (p. 255). The modern student of religion is forced to conclude that the Radha-Krishna myth is an utterly insufficient and precarious, as well as unworthy, basis for religion (p. 252). To them all (Chaitanyaites) it (the Puranic stories) is manifestly religious history. But at one breath of modern thought this ancient Puranic world tumbles in ruins” (p. 253).

Regarding his own conception of Christianity, which is his proposed goal of ethical religion, the following may throw the needful light. ‘Bhakti is by its very nature self-centred, it lives in and for its own emotions. It is the great ideal of the Kingdom of God that saves Christian devotion from this subjective defect’ (p. 246). ‘The second, or dasya stage, is richly paralleled in Christian phraseology. Indeed, in Christian devotion, as our previous discussion will have made clear, this stage is fundamental, instead of being initiatory as in Vaishnava thought’ (pp. 235-6). ‘To the Christian, it is just this dereliction (wilful rebellion against the will of God), this conscious estrangement from the love of God (frustration of that filial attitude of love and trust which is the soul’s true harmony and peace), which makes the sense of sin … The terrible power of evil, as expressed in and through society, … has been envisaged in Christian thought, both theologically and practically, as the problem of moral evil – of this there is nothing in the Vaishnava Scriptures. The difference runs straight back to the fundamental lack of ethical character and purpose, which we perceived as characterising the fountain source of Vaishnava theology’ (p. 233). ‘To Christian thought an unhistorical incarnation is a contradiction in terms, a non-entity. Furthermore, the lack of a historical norm and standard, an ideal of life and character realised in human terms by which the whole development of religion is tested and guided, seems a very serious defect of such a conception. It puts religious devotion at the mercy of imagination … It also makes possible that strangest of all anomalies in religion, an incarnation whose life among men is in opposition to their moral ideas, who is to be worshipped as God but not imitated as man’ (p. 231). ‘The ethical teaching of Jesus is grounded in his conception of God … as unchanging in His love, goodness and moral purpose … The Christian ethic is of one piece throughout with the Christian doctrine of God’ (p. 219).

The Christian ethic is not the empiric ethic. The empiric ethic itself is radically unethical. The righteousness of Godhead cannot be of the empiric brand. How can there be any necessity or even justification of the cardinal doctrine of Divine Grace itself in an ethical system which is based upon the principle of vindictive malice in the name of ethical Justice? Will also the ethical conception suit the Theistic doctrine of the Omnipotence of the Divinity or even the All-Holiness of Godhead? How is this spurious system to account for the origin of the principle of evil? With all these unanswerable defects how can it avoid the charge of aiming at propagating atheism under the garb of the evangelical language? Is it superfluous or illogical to remember the caution about the wolf in sheep’s clothing?

The point will be clearer if we consider the fact that the dupes of a pseudo-ethical system are never prepared to admit frankly the categorical difference between the mundane and the spiritual. They are always trying to deliberately avoid such confession. But no one can also profess Christianity without admitting revelation itself. Can the consistent empiricist, however, admit the doctrine of revelation?

In the light of the above how does the claim that the ‘ethical’ teaching of Jesus is grounded in his conception of God (as understood by the empiric admirer?) be made by these writers who are in arms by the very principle of empiricism against the Divinity of Godhead?

Let us devote a little more of our attention to the claims of empiric ethics which is the forte of these writers. What is the objective of the so-called science of empiric ethics? It professes to try to understand the meaning of the ethical sanction by the analysis of experience. Does it succeed in discovering any sanction, the purpose for which it sets out with so much noise? One should be surprised to be told that it tries to fulfil its purpose by the method of travelling, with the confidence of a forgone conclusion in an elaborately vicious circle. On the termination of this quest, designed to be successful, it is not ashamed to claim to have established certain negative principles which it proposes with equal effrontery to impose by the force of its desire to escape from all moral restraints, on those people who may continue to be troubled by the instinctive moral scruples. This is the service which this atheistical science is out to perform for mankind and to claim it to be a scientific vindication of the principle of morality which as a matter of fact, has been so obstinately trying to discredit by its irrelevant designing performance.

The so-called ethical conclusions sought to be established in this utterly inconclusive manner are found on examination to be after all a very simple thing, indeed. They leave us exactly where our unethical instinct wants us to be. They justify the life of refined eating and drinking, which is found in the above extracts to be identical with the teaching of Christ by the writer in question. The science of ethics takes for granted that it is only necessary to make the best of the bad circumstances of this wretched world. What a perfect recognition of the ‘ethical’ nature of the all-powerful Divinity! This physical body is the starting point of the enquiry. Everything is gradually discovered to be dependent on the pampering of the flesh. This establishes the desirable connection between the religion and the efforts of the materialistic sciences directed to the identical purpose. This unceremonious method of politely showing the way to all problems of the soul, is claimed to be performed in accordance with the spirit of the teaching of Jesus and it is this which is confidently calculated to be promotive of the brotherhood of man.

The method is distinguished by another characteristic, viz., an extreme profession of consideration for the views and opinions of all persons apparently in conformity with the requirement of the above idea of universal brotherhood. It is not, indeed, possible for the exponent of the Truth to be universally obliging in a world so full of evil. But from the samples already quoted it must have appeared to the reader who is concerned about his soul that this class of writers try to make up for any defect of logic by their malicious choice of vocabulary which they do not hesitate to use against doctrines and views they are determined not to try to understand in the rational way. They never care to consult the source-books themselves but find a morbid pleasure of fastening upon the fables of other and equally untruthful writers for their information. The only adequate way in which the vindictive sophistries of these writers require to be met, is by helping them to understand and follow the bible in the spirit of Jesus which appears to us to be altogether different from that of empiric ethics. That will arouse in them a real curiosity for the problems of soul which alone can qualify them to be students of the revealed religions of the world. It is only on the spiritual plane that the view of the Truth as distinguished from ingenious casuistry of all kinds manufactured by the brain of man for the gratification of the senses is to be obtained by those who really want to serve the Absolute Truth.

Sree Sree Chaitanya Bhagabat

MIDDLE PART
CHAPTER II

(Continued from p. 382, May – June 1931)

121. It is no madness; it is devotion to Krishna, I tell you. No one else can ever understand it.
122. Never say anything about it to an adverse person, if indeed, it be your purpose to witness many secrets of Krishna!
123. Saying so Srinibas went away home. The suspicion of madness left the heart of Sachi.
124. Yet Sachi remained in the state of distress at her heart; in her mind she was afraid lest her Son were to go away from home.
125. Great Lord Biswambhar lived on in this manner: who can know Him if He does not Himself inform?
126. One day the Lord, taking Gadadhar with Himself, set out in a merry mood on a visit to Adwaita.
127. The two Lords on their arrival found Adwaita seated, in the act of worship by the offerings of water and tulasi;
128. Saying ‘Hari, Hari’, and brandishing his two arms He laughed and presently wept, forgetful of himself;
129. It were as if the Lion, maddened beyond endurance, roared in thunder: His wrath was like the appearance of the great Rudra himself.
130. As Lord Biswambhar caught sight of Adwaita He fell down on the earth in a swoon.
131. By dint of the force of devotion mighty Adwaita knew everything, that He, indeed, was the Lord of his life.
132. ‘Whither wilt Thou go, my Thief, today?’ he thought within himself, “all these days Thou hast been moving about even at this very place as a thief!’
133. To Adwaita Your thievish policy will be of no avail! I will, on this very spot, commit the act of theft over the head of the Thief Himself.
134. Being aware that the time for the commission of his intended theft had arrived Adwaita came down from his seat with all the offerings for worship.
135. On the spot, by offer of water washing His Feet, Hands and Mouth, the Divine Acharya worshipped the Feet of Chaitanya.
136. Placing flower, perfume, incense and the lighted lamp on the Feet of the Lord, Adwaita made repeated obeisances reciting this shloka:
137. “I humbly bow unto the Lord of The Brahmanas for the benefit of the cows and the Brahmanas; I bow repeatedly to Krishna, I bow to Govinda, for the good of the world.”
138. Continuing to recite this shloka Adwaita fell repeatedly at His Feet, and wept aloud on recognising his own Lord.
139. He washed His twin Feet with the tears of his eyes, he remained standing at His Feet with his palms joined in supplication.
140. Gadadhar said laughingly, pressing his tongue with the teeth, ‘My Lord, it is not meet to behave in this manner to a boy.’
141. Adwaita only laughed at the words of Gadadhar. ‘Gadadhar, you will recognize this Boy someday.’
142. Gadadhar experienced a great surprise in his mind; ‘May be, the Lord Himself has Appeared.’
143. Ere long Biswambhar, on manifesting His external consciousness, saw Adwaita Acharya full of the spiritual mood.
144. Lord Biswambhar now hid Himself; He began to praise Adwaita joining His two Hands in supplication.
145. Bowing to Adwaita the Lord took the dust of his feet; the Lord made the offering of His Own Body to him, -
146. ‘Great one, may you vouchsafe your mercy to me; may you recognize for a certainty that I am, indeed, yours.
147. I am blessed by obtaining the sight of you; it is only by your mercy that the Name of Krishna manifests His utterance;
148. Yourself can indeed, destroy the bondage of the world; in your heart Krishna is always manifest.’
149. The Lord knows how to exalt His devotee above Himself: He behaves to His devotee just as the latter does to Himself.
150. Adwaita said in his mind, ‘What credit hast Thou by this? But I have already stolen a march on the Thief.’
151. Adwaita smiled as he made reply, ‘Biswambhar, Thou art to me more than all.
152. Here will I abide in the pleasurance of Krishna-talk; so may I be privileged to see Thee unceasingly.
153. It is the wish of all Vaishnavas - to see Thee – to chant the kirtan of Krishna in Thy company.’
154. On hearing these words of Adwaita, with the greatest joy accepting his proposal the Lord returned home.
155. Adwaita knew – the Lord had become manifest. To test this he at once set out for his home at Santipur.
156. ‘If indeed, it be true that He is the Lord and I His servant, then will He certainly fetch me bound to His side.’
157. Who has power to understand the heart of Adwaita. Whose power is the cause of the Appearance of Chaitanya?
158. Of one who has no faith in these words, the instant ruin is assured.
159. The Supreme Lord Biswambhar on each successive day performed the Sankirtan in the company of all the Vaishnavas.
160. All were filled with gladness as they cast their eyes on Biswambhar; no one could recognise his own Lord.
161. The state of His supreme spiritual absorption marked Him out from all. A great suspicion took possession of the minds of all persons at sight of this.
162. When the Lord was under the influence of the blissful mood, who can describe it with the exception of Lord Shesha?
163. A hundred persons failed to hold His shivering Form; - and hundreds of rivers coursed through His Eyes.
164. His whole Frame, blistering with gladness, had the likeness of a golden panasa. He laughed a haughty laughter at short intervals.
165. At times the Lord continued unconscious for a quarter of the day. On the return of His external consciousness He said nothing but ‘Krishna.’
166. The ear was pierced by His thundering sound; it is by His grace that His devotees are saved.
167. His entire Frame momentarily assumed the fixed look of a column, and the same Form became the next moment full of the softness of fresh butter.
168. All the Bhagabatas witnessed this unique sight; no one any longer thought Him to be human.
169. Some said, ‘This person is Partial Appearance of the Lord Himself.’ Some said, ‘In His Form it is Krishna Himself Who sports.’
170. Some maintained, ‘Or He may be Suka, Prahlada or Narada.’ Some declared, ‘It seems to me that all our dangers are ended.’
171. The mistresses of the households of all the Bhagabatas said, ‘Krishna Himself has manifested His Birth.’
172. Some said, ‘It may be the Appearance of the Lord Himself.’ They all judged in their minds in their respective ways.
173. With the return of His external consciousness the Lord clasped them all by the neck and cried in such fashion that it is not possible for me to narrate.
174. ‘By the absence of Thy sight, Hari, the intervals of these days devoid of all glory, - Friend of those who has no other protector, Ocean of unmixed pity, - how indeed, am I to pass?’

(To be continued)